Christmas vacations
by The Darkness and the Light
Summary: Christmas vacations...what can be better? Cookies, cakes, parties, Masquerede Bal and....a murder? What will do five normal girls and a detective in this case?


**Christmas Vacations**

By Darkness and Light

Chapter 1

Criticize – means explain to a person that he is doing something wrong and how would you do that if you knew how. I don't know how to you, but for me if I hear the phrase "Serena, you are not doing this right…" – drive me mad, especially if it says my friend Rei Majorson. As all politicians or future politicians, Rei is sure that, she has all the answers to all questions. With complete assurance in her own rightness Rei discussing about politic, sports, movies, books and relationships. From her words whatever isn't right in life, isn't right only because she hadn't reformed it yet. I absolutely agree with everything she says about politic, movies and books, because I don't understand much in this districts, but to my great unfortunate she doesn't stopping here she also trying to 'correct' my life and ours room-mates life's.

Someday I decided to stay at home to rest and relax from the countless tests in my university. To my 'luck' Rei stayed at home too and decided to occupy herself with house work. At first she wanted to learn me how to use the dish washer machine.

- First you must open the power supply and then you must put in the dishes.

- What the difference,- I tried to resist.

- Very big, - didn't gave up Rei, - the machine will work longer.

I crunched my teethes, but because at the plans of that day wasn't an usual fight with Rei, I restrained. Then she stood next to me and tiresome started.

- What in the name of the God are you doing?

- I am cooking.

- Why?

- I want to, that's why. I have a free day today and I want to cook dinner for the girls.

- Oh, that's really sweet of you…do you want to kill us!

- Rei you are so mean!

- I am not meaner than you, that's you who is trying to kill us with your food. Really, I am not eating it, Serena!

That was enough I thought and I was ready to insult her then my saver came – Makoto, she had ended her classes early that day.

- Hi, Rei, are you insulting Serena again?

Rei didn't answered.

- Hi, bunny, what are you doing?

I looked at her happily and said.

- I am cooking!

- Ah, that's really nice of you to cook us dinner, but let I take that from now. I am going to bake a cake for everyone. Your favourite, with the chocolate.

- You are the best, Makoto! - I responded. But Rei didn't gave up, all day she was saying "You are so lazy, why don't you go to do something useful for example…"

And after that I swore to myself that the next time then I will take a rest-day, I will not take it the day Rei does has one. But today is different, today started our Christmas vacations and all the five best friends will be together.

Then my digital watch showed the outrageous time of ten o'clock, the door that leads to my room started to shake from the intense knocking, I jerked from my bed and opened the door with ferocious move. In the door stood Mina, one of my room-mates. I am sure that with my hair messed and my red sleepy eyes, I was reminding her of an angry bull and the red duster, the cause of my anger was – her. She grinned sheepishly.

- Good morning, Serena, how was your sleep? Want some breakfast?

She knew me so well, the only thing that could do me happy, then I was mad was a good meal.

- My sleep was short, very short, the breakfast is exactly what I need right now, thanks.- I answered sweetly.

Mina Harrison – my cousin, she had lived with my family for some time then we were little. We were playing together, going to the kindergarten and to the school together. But then we became ten her parents got a good places in one corporation, but the problem was that this jobs was in London, so her family moved away and I hadn't seen her for a long time. Four years later my mom received a letter from her sister, in the letter my aunt was saying that she wants to send Mina back in the New York, because she couldn't watch over her daughter, she had too much work in the corporation. In a month after the letter Mina arrived, then she was little she was really shy and silent girl, so then she came at first I didn't recognized her. I just got to know her from the start, I wasn't disappointed I was very happy to became familiar with a bubbly, cheerful blonde with English accent. I like that she has a great self-confidence and takes the life with enthusiasm exactly as it really is, she is a great company and good friend. Turned out that from outside she was exactly like me, even in school some people was taking us as twins. Long blonde hair and blue eyes, same height, same age, same personality, well, almost the same personality I was more quiet and least popular than her, and I hadn't this funny English accent (she is very proud of it), but I am glad that I know her, she is my first friend and my only cousin.

Then we ended the school, she had already a job, she was a model (she is still a model), but because she didn't wanted to stay at home on her free time, she entered in the New York University on the faculty of Art Works, the same with me. Again we found ourselves one next to another. My parents had moved to Trenton, saying that they was tired from the life in the big city. Trenton it is a little city near New York, very quiet and nice. We wanted to find a good apartment near the university, we find one, it was large and beautiful. Five rooms, huge living room, a dream-kitchen and two bathrooms. It was too big and too expensive for us, but Mel said that if we would find room-mates, we could take it.

- What are you thinking about? Come on, wear something or you will eat breakfast in your pyjamas? Rei will eat you alive for this!

I scratched my head thinking about this, sure I wasn't in the mood to fight with Rei.

- You are probably right!

I looked at Mina, to take an idea what to wear. A cute orange top with flowers on and black pants was looking on her lovely; orange was definitely her color, so in the mere of the seconds I knew what to wear. I run to the dresser and picked up a pink top with adorable photo of bunny on and blue jeans; I was in them in a minute and took a look in the mirror. The cloves were looking good on me, but my hair was messed so I combed them and tied them in high ponytail.

- I am ready.

- I see this. Come on, Serena, Makoto made pancakes for breakfast and Rei bought strawberry jam, and yesterday I bought a lemon cake and…..didn't I told about the date I had yesterday, he was so cute, with cool car and everything….

I cut her forcefully, grabbed her hand and running hurried to the kitchen. Give her time and she will talk and talk….and talk, sigh too bubbly.

- Why didn't you told me this from the start! I love cakes and pancakes!

She started to giggle like a schoolgirl, in the end we run in to the kitchen giggling like kids. Makoto was near the kiln boiling water for coffee and tea, she turned and looked at us smiling.

- Good morning, Serena, you are early today.

- Good morning, I couldn't missed the breakfast, could I?

Rei glared at me from the table and mumbled.

- Really, Makoto, did you thought that our sleepy head could missed a fattening meal. But I will tell you something in few months she will be chubby.

- Oh, come on, Rei, it is early morning, leave her alone for the God's sake!

Responded Makoto in my charge, putting on the table cups for coffee, Rei moved away the cup and murmured.

- I will have tea, please.

- Ok, Rei, anything you want.

Rei is not so bad as she seems, really, she just likes to insult people, well not people just me. I first met this girl with fire in her heart, then I and Mina were fourteen. Mina was in love with some guy she knew, she told that she knows a Chinese temple "there you can buy a charm and wish anything you want, so if your heart is pure and you wish is with good intentions your wish will come true…" I will not quote her anymore because the only thing is following is how perfect this boy is and how much she likes him. We went to the Hikawa Shrine which is Japanese and not Chinese like had said Mel, never mind, there was a priestess, the granddaughter of the archpriest, her name was Rei Majorson. Mel and I visited every day the temple, not because the silly wish of Mina came true and not because we started to believe in magic spells of the priest. But because Rei and we became friends, I don't know how but we just immediately became the best friends in the world (we still are), we helped each other in school and went out together. Even if Rei wasn't going to the same school with us, we still accompanied each other always and in everything. Rei was attending an expensive private school. Turned out that Rei is the daughter of the well known politician Bryan Majorson. Rei lived with her grandfather because her father was travelling, a lot, and her mother died then Rei was very little, so Rei had grown up with the help of her grandfather, because her father was rare visitor: only on holidays and her birthdays. But I know that she loves her father very much, then he told her that he wants her to follow his footsteps, that it was his dream; so even if she wanted to stay priestess in her grandfather's temple, she became politician.

We were insulting each other from the start, but we never did take it seriously it was like some kind of game we had…have. Sure we had some big fights but we had our reasons. She is the best friend someone could have, and I am lucky that I have her for friend. May be we are fighting together only because we are so different, even from outside: her black hair and purple eyes is total different from mine blonde hair and blue eyes, she is tall….and she is serious with anything she does, may be that's why she is picking on me - she doesn't likes the way I handing my life, so she insulting me only to bring me to my mind, really she doesn't like that I am twenty years old and I am so childish, but what can I do, that's the way I am.

- Makoto this pancakes is really good, you are the best cook in the world!

Mina exclaimed with full mouth of pancakes with jam, I always wondering how this girl can eat all kinds of food and still has silhouette like that.

- You are right Mel, this pancakes is even better than those of my mom. My voice was muffled by the noise Mina was doing.

- I must agree with sleepy head in this!

- Rei!

- What did I do?

- You are provoking with me, Pyro!

- Don't call me Pyro, Dumpling head!

- Then don't call me Dumpling head, Pyro!

- Dumpling head!

- Pyro!

- Chubby!

- Dragon!

We started again the tongue war, then the most quiet person in the room, with a textbook in her hands yelled.

- Stopped it, you two! Don't you think that you are too big for things like that!

Everyone looked at Amy with open mouths, Mina and Makoto slowly nodded, I think it is the first time she is interrupting mine and Rei's fight.

- With so noise around here I will leave behind in my classes.

Mina nervously giggled.

- Honey, we have a Christmas vacations.

Amy looked at her and do not loosing her conviction responded.

- So….it is very important to study then you have vacations.

Everyone sweat dropped, but was not really amazement this isn't the first time she says something like that, in fact that was Amy who had told us to study then we had Summer vacations. Amy Anderson had the reputation of a book worm and nerd, so then I met her she hadn't a lot friends, actually I am her first friend. She is very shy and quiet, I think that's why she hadn't friends; everybody was thinking that she was snob, but she is just shy. She was attending the same school with me and Mina, but unlikely she was the best student in the school, she always had with her textbook or textbooks. Her mother is a doctor, so Amy always knew what she wants to be in the future – a doctor, just like her mother. So then she ended the school she entered the Medical University of New York, all the girls and I were very proud for her. Amy is perfect in everything and she knows everything, her only problem was always relationships and love letters. I remember then in the school she got a love letter from someone, she totally freaked out with that for her luck there was Mina the well known "Goddess of Love" and match maker. So today she is in happy relationship with her boyfriend Greg and even after Rei's reformation they are still together. Her parents are divorced and Amy lived with her mother, but because her mom was always on her work, Amy was feeling very lonely, so then we find the enormous apartment and it was near her university she immediately agreed to become our room-mate. Then I met this brunette with the most blue eyes I had ever seen I never had thought that she will be one of my best friends, I think that Greg is very lucky to have her.

- Amy is right, you behaviour is improper for your age, girls, so…..grow up!

- I am sorry Makoto, girls.

I mumbled, feeling guilt and shame for my actions I am so childish sometimes, girls are right I must grow up...someday.

- But it is Pyro's fault, she is insulting me, she is just so bad!

I wailed, everybody except Rei closed their ears from my high pitchy voice…or from my whine. Rei glared at me.

- You still owe me a cell phone and a cute guy.

- What do you talking about!

- The cell phone that you broke!

I laughed nervously Really what is she talking about?

- Oh, yea I remember, now.

Rei looked at me suspiciously.

- You have no idea what am I talking about, haven't you?

I laughed again more nervously.

- No.

And then the memories returned, now, I remember what happened. It happened one very nice Sunday, all the girls were at home that day. We were sitting in the living room, everyone were doing something they like, Amy was reading for some kind of test she would have on Monday, Mel was eating some candies and watching some melodrama on TV, Makoto was sitting on the couch and mixing ingredients for cream for the cake, and Rei was sitting beside Makoto and exchanging messages with her newfound to-be-boyfriend. But I wasn't doing anything, of course I helped Mina with candies, but I hadn't something interesting to do so I decided to…

I grabbed the cell phone from Rei's hands and started to run around the couch from the furious Rei.

- Give it back, Serena, I am warning you!

- Come on, Rei, I just want to read the messages!

- Then I will get you, you will see what I will do to you!

Well, I was sure that she wouldn't get me, then I tripped over the chair and the phone slipped from my hand and fell into the…Makoto's cream for the cake. Rei gasped and hurried to help her phone with the precious number of the cute guy. But the phone didn't survive, he tragically drowned in the delicious cream. Then Rei was sure that she couldn't help anymore to her cell phone, stood up and looked at me with her killing glare.

- Rei it was an accident, I am really, really sorry.

- I will kill you!

I screamed and ducked then she attacked me, then on my four I crawled on the couch and hided behind Makoto. I had waked up the monster in Rei, Mel and Amy looked at her, worrying about what she might do. I am sure Makoto was worried to, but she kept herself calm.

- Come on, Rei, relax…take breaths….you will find another guy and about the phone…it is not a bigly.

- OK, you are right, no bigly…..but you…you…owe me a cell phone and a cute guy.

- Phh…

What could I say, I was happy that I lived to tell the tale. And all thanks to Makoto.

Before Makoto became my friend, she had the reputation of a tomb-boy, and people were afraid of her because of that. Makoto was expelled from her old school and was transferred to other that I was attending. Turned out that Makoto fought a lot with some guys and then finally she hit them really bad, the principal expelled her. Well, she is very strong even stronger then some mans are, so better not to make her mad. Really she is not the person who can hit you, she is the girl who can defend herself. I like that she is so brave and so strong. But the most incredible is that at the same time with this she is a great cook and she is good in house work. Her weak point was always a good looking boys, and she sees one she always compares him to her ex-boyfriends, and tell you what, she had a lot of them. The for the most part of her life she lived alone, her parents had died in airplane crush and she had no one relative, she was lucky that her parents leaved to her a lot of money, so she could live alone and not working. Her big dream is to open her own restaurant and be the chef there. Makoto Wilshire with her piercing green eyes and brown hair she plays a roll of a big sister to me, I know that she is the same age with me, but she always was very protective with me and she is very tall, so this roll is definitely hers. She always "protects" me from Rei. No, really Rei and Amy and Mina are too like my sisters, well sure Rei is the sister I always fighting with, Amy is the sister which helps me with my studies, Makoto is the sister which protects me from any harm, Mina is the sister which gives me advices in relationships. I love them all so much.

- You go and open the door.

- No, you!

- You go!

- No, you go!

- Easy girls, I will go to open the door.

Rei and I mumbled an quiet 'thank you, Mel' to Mina, for being so understandable and for going to answer the dinging door. In few minutes Mel entered with a package in to the kitchen. I looked at what she had in her hands and asked.

- What is it Mel?

- I don't know. It is for me and you, Serena.

She opened the package in the mere of the seconds, the package had inside one invitation and two masks. Mina looked at them in confusion and then slowly read the invention.

- Dear Miss Livingstone and Miss Harrison, you have the pleasure to be invited to the Christmas Masquerade Bal that organize our dearest mayor, Harley Davidson.

- Every year the same, they are calling us to their party in the place of ours parents.

- You didn't listened to me, it is A Masquerade Bal and not a party like last years.- tried to explain ,Mel.

- They are inviting us only because my father was a editor-in-chief in the "Daily New York" and yours was a president in famous corporation ECCOS, but my father had retired few months ago and your father is the president of this corporation in England now. So what do they want from us?

- I don't know…..but who cares? I want to go, it is so exciting and romantic….A Masquerade Bal, can you imagine, Serena, just look at this masks!- I was ready to disagree with her but I looked at the beautiful masks she was handing me. The colours was in harmony with white, gold and silver. Feathers and ribbons were lightly hugging the elegant mask, decorated with crystals. On the first mask was a silver initials "**S.L"** on the other golden initials **"M.H".**

- Look, Mel, they wrote our initials on the masks.

- Why would they do such a thing, now there is no fun! – she got angry.

- What are, you two, talking about? – asked Rei.

- Look, - I started happily and proudly – the major invited us on the Bal he organized, look the masks are made specially for us.

- Two minutes ago you were saying you won't go – whispered Mina, that caused me to hit her upside the head.- Ouch, why did you do that!

- I don't want to disappoint you but I am invited too. – said Rei.

- You father is friend of the major, how could I forgotten!- exclaimed Mina.

- That's right….ah, Makoto, didn't they called you too, you got the package yesterday?

- Yes, they invited me but I wasn't going if you four wasn't, so you three are going, Amy?

- What the matter? – Amy placed her book beside her on the arm-chair.

- We are asking you if you was invited to the Masquerade Bal that organized the major.

- Yes, they offered me this great opportunity to visit the home of our "dearest mayor, Harley Davidson" – on the last part of the sentences she couldn't take it and burst in to the laughing, we followed.

- So it is official, we are going to the Masquerade Bal,- I said – all of us!

_**End of the Chapter 1. **_


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